Why I Garden

I have been challenging myself to think of the driving forces behind my passion for gardening. I wanted to be able to identify the most important aspects of gardening to be able to share with everyone why I choose to garden and how it has become such a large part of my life. I hope this will also be able to motivate and encourage me if I happen to get discouraged somewhere down the line.

1. My family has been involved with gardening for several decades.

I was born and raised in Springfield, Missouri, only having access to agriculture through both sets of grandparents, which both had a garden. On my mom's side, my grandparents had over 100 acres in Gainesville, Missouri and "specialized" in growing sweet corn and grew several other vegetables to feed their family, sell, or give away. On my dad's side, my grandparents lived on a 2o acre farm near Rogersville, Missouri and had a garden that provided several varieties of produce and our main okra supply. Since I was raised in a subdivision in the city, visits to each farm were my only source of agriculture and tending to the garden was something I watched from an early age. I am forever grateful.

2. I personally feel like the people who produce food items that we consume are the most important people on the planet.

In my eyes, it's simple. If we don't have food, life doesn't have much of a chance to prevail. I see professional sports players and talk show hosts sign multimillion dollar contracts for our entertainment. They have worked hard to get there, and I respect them for that, but they all have to eat. No matter how important you think you are, you are still being served food; and that comes from a farmer. Farming and gardening appeals to me because it is a basic necessity for life itself, but could be considered one of the most thankless jobs. "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" Mark 10:45.

3. It's plain fun.

I think that's all that needs to be said about that.

4. I have never seen a more accurate representation of what God can do in our lives.

Simply put, I plant one seed, the seed grows, then produces hundreds or thousands of seeds for the next year. God only asks us to sow one seed of faith, and then blesses us hundredfold. Technically, it comes closer to thousandfold, but that’s not a word. If I plant something too early, it will take longer to germinate because the seed knows the conditions aren't optimal for its survival. Sometimes we ask something from God and it takes a while for Him to answer. In gardening and in talking to God, when we don't see action when WE expect it, we could possibly grow impatient or anxious, expecting OUR timing to be perfect. Patience. I believe that is one of the most important attributes a person can have, and also one that is dwindling in our society. Sometimes we "plant" the right thing at the right time, figuratively or literally, and the seed germinates quickly, shoots out of the ground and produces so many vegetables that we have to share with others. God is everywhere; in the good and the bad, the slow and the fast. You just have to know where to look.